Tip leads to arrest for pot
Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 1, 2001
Acting on information received regarding illegal drug activity, authorities Wednesday night were able to confiscate a quantity of marijuana, and place a subject in jail on distribution charges.
"We received information about a drug transaction, and after combining forces with the Greenville Police Department, we staked out an area on the Ridge Road, to await activity," said a spokesperson with the Butler County Jail. At approximately 9:20 p.m. on Wednesday night, we observed two vehicles drive into a wooded area off Ridge Road, just north of Ala. Hwy. 10 n we attempted to make contact with suspects at the vehicles, when one of them jumped out and ran into the woods."
According to the spokesperson, a short time later, law enforcement officers pursuing the suspect on foot apprehended West Lapatraion Robinson, a 21-year-old male with a listed address of Butler Estates, taking him into custody.
"While chasing the suspect on foot, we observed him throw something away from him as he was running n it was later determined he had tossed marijuana into the woods n we also recovered more than $300 in assorted U.S. currency left by the suspect," the spokesperson said. "Field testing revealed that the green leafy substance contained in six plastic bags was in fact marijuana."
Official reports indicate the arrest took place some four minutes after the vehicles first arrived.
"This is just another example of how multiple law enforcement agencies are able to cooperate and work together to fight the on-going war against drugs in our community n this was a success story because a suspect was placed in jail, and nobody was injured in the case," the spokesperson said.
Robinson was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, and placed in the Butler County Jail, where he remained until Thursday evening, when he was released on a $20,000 property bond, plus a $274 cash pay out on an outstanding warrant.